John Duesbery (Sherwood Foresters) killed on Somme

Title in English
John Duesbery - letter written dying on Somme

Description
John Duesbery was from Swinefleet, Goole. His surname is spelt incorrectly as Dewsbury on the medals, and also sometimes in the official documents. He joined 2nd Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment) as a machine gunner, in March 1915 (army number 18260). He fought and died in Battle of the Somme, in the attack near Guillemont, September 15, 1916, aged 25. A letter was sent to his mother on 22nd August 1917, saying that it was assumed he had been killed in action on September 15, 1916, or later. More official correspondence ensued, and finally a pocket book with his last letter to his mother was found on his body and returned to the family (some time after November 1917). It contained the last letter to his mother, written while lying mortally wounded in a shell hole at the Somme. The story has been used in Peter Barton's book, The Somme. John Duesbery has no known grave, and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing. See also the entry for his brother Ernest (BL96)

Summary description of items
Casualty Search Results Letters and postcards to mother during the war Letter from Infantry Record Office, Lichfield informing of death Letter from British Red Cross Newspaper extract of John and brother Ernest Letter from War Office, Imperial Institute Letter from Minstry of Pensions Birth Certificate Pocket book with last letter to mother Various medals incl 2nd Sherwood Foresters badge Map of where Foresters were in action Photos of War Memorial at Swinefleet x3 Photographs of John x2 Commonwealth War Graves Commission letter Book of postcards: Lan Grande Guerre 1914-17; Arras Apres le Bombardement The Somme: Peter Barton page 308 shows the likely position of body Letter from Peter Barton to Kenneth Duesbery. Plaque sent to parents when deceased .

Transcription status
Not started 54 %
Edit 34 %
Review 13 %
Complete 0 %
ID
17050
Source
http://europeana1914-1918.eu/...
Number of items
128
Person
John Duesbery
Born: February 23, 1891 in Swinefleet
Died: September 15, 1916 in Battle of the Somme
Origin date
March 21, 1915 – November 22, 1917
Language
English
Keywords
Army postal service, Artillery, Home Front, Military, Red Cross, Remembrance, Sherwood Foresters, Trench Life
Fronts
Naval Warfare, Western Front
Location
Battle of the Somme
Contributor
Kenneth Duesbery, great nephew of John
License
http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
Collection day
BL01
  • 51.5073509||-0.1277583||
    John Duesbery (Sherwood Foresters) killed on Somme, item 50

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    John Duesbery (Sherwood Foresters) killed on Somme, item 46

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    John Duesbery (Sherwood Foresters) killed on Somme, item 13

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